34 days on, Kashmir remains caught between curfew and restrictions

Curfew in some parts and restrictions on the assembly of people continued for the 34th day on Thursday in KashmirValley where normal life remained disrupted.

Curfew continued to remain in force in parts of the summer capital Srinagar and Anantnag town, a police official said here.

“Curfew is in force in five police stations in downtown (interior) area of Srinagar city and Anantnag town in south Kashmir,” the official said.

He said curfew was also clamped in the town of Pampore on Thursday in view of the death anniversary of former chairman of Jammu and Kashmir People’s League Sheikh Abdul Aziz, who hailed from the Saffron-town.

The official said restrictions on assembly of four or more people also continued to remain force in rest of the Valley as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.

Even as the official said the situation across Kashmir has showed signs of improvement since the beginning of this week, normal life remained affected in the Valley for the 34th consecutive day due to the curbs imposed by the authorities and separatist sponsored strike.

Schools, colleges, business establishments, petrol pumps and private offices remained closed while public transport remained off the roads.

The attendance in government offices and banks was also thin, the official said.

However, most of the shops open after 6 pm on alternate days as the separatist groups have announced relaxation in their protest programme to allow people to buy essentials.

Mobile internet services continued to remain snapped in the entire valley where the outgoing facility on prepaid connections is also barred.

The separatist camp has extended the shutdown call in Kashmir till Friday and as part of the protest programme had asked the people to march to the martyrs graveyard on Thursday to hold congregational prayers on the death anniversary of Aziz who was killed in 2008. 

Violent protests have rocked Kashmir after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces on July 8.

As many as 55 persons, including two cops, were killed and several thousand others injured in the clashes between protesters and security forces.

Image: Police stand guard on the 34th day of curfew in Srinagar. Photograph: S Irfan/PTI